Stony Brook University’s International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) team has earned a gold medal at the 2025 iGEM Competition, marking its fourth overall win and second consecutive year taking the top honor. The competition took place in Paris, France, from October 28-31, drawing 421 teams worldwide to present projects in synthetic biology.
This year, Stony Brook was one of only 17 collegiate teams from the United States to receive a gold medal. The team’s project aimed to contribute to HIV eradication by using synthetic biology methods. They developed a delivery system for Cas13a—a CRISPR enzyme known for targeting RNA with high specificity—using a detoxified single-chain diphtheria toxin as a carrier protein. This allowed for receptor-mediated transport of Cas13a into cells.
To ensure the system targeted only HIV-infected cells, students engineered a fusion protein combining CRISPR-Cas13a, DTA, and CD4 receptor-interacting GP120. Once inside the target cell, guide RNAs direct Cas13a to cleave HIV ssRNA precisely. If HIV RNA is not present, the system remains inactive.
The interdisciplinary team included three seniors, four juniors, and eight sophomores majoring in areas such as Applied Mathematics and Statistics; Biochemistry; Biology; Biomedical Engineering; Computer Science; Environmental Studies; and Psychology. Faculty advisors were Peter Gergen and Kathryn Gunn from the Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, along with Gábor Balázsi from the Louis and Beatrice Laufer Center for Physical & Quantitative Biology. Staff from Undergraduate Biology also provided support.
Stony Brook has participated in iGEM since 2014 when its first team was launched through student initiative with faculty backing. Institutional support has continued through contributions from university leadership and philanthropic donors.
“I continue to be amazed at the impact that participating in iGEM is having on student growth and development and on the success our teams have enjoyed at this international competition,” said Peter Gergen. “I can add outstanding advice and support from members of our prior iGEM teams as well as expert guidance from PhD students Melanie Cragan and Christopher Helenek contributed greatly to the success of the 2025 iGEM team.”
David Wrobel, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, added: “I could not be more proud of this year’s International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) team, who, for the fourth time in SBU history, brought home a Gold Medal from the International Conference in Paris. What a fantastic example of undergraduate research excellence at our university and the brilliant mentorship that our faculty provide, as well as the support of our amazing donors who continue to help make this program possible. This is a mark of great pride and purpose for the College and SBU, and I appreciate everyone involved in supporting the success of our remarkable students.”
Further details about Stony Brook’s iGEM project are available on their official site: https://2025.igem.wiki/stony-brook/